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Chapter 35: The Next Target, I Choose You!
Gotham suburbs, beneath Wayne Manor, inside the Batcave.
Tim stared at the report of Two-Face's crimes on the screen, his expression grave.
Footsteps approached from above.
A tall, thin butler walked down, carrying a tray.
"Tim, would you like something to eat? I made you some pizza."
"Thanks, Alfred. Just leave it on the table; I'll eat it in a bit." Tim said without turning his head.
"Harvey has been consumed by his dark side again. He was once the best man in this city. We all thought he would be Gotham's savior—even Master Bruce did. But now he has become one of Gotham's most famous super-criminals... Why did things turn out this way?"
Alfred walked over, placed the pizza on the table by Tim's hand, and sighed.
"The bottle of acid Maroni threw that scarred him? No, that was merely the fuse that ignited Two-Face's dark desires. His second personality may have existed long before that."
Tim picked up the thread of Alfred's thought.
"I often wonder: if Two-Face had never been born, if Harvey were still the original Harvey, would Master Bruce not lack trust in the world so much? Would he, and you all, be a little more relaxed today?"
Alfred looked up toward some unknown direction.
"Perhaps. But reality has no 'ifs'. Harvey Dent, who once represented justice, ultimately became Two-Face. Although I don't quite support some of Bruce's ideas, I understand him. If someone like Harvey can fall, then who in the world is absolutely incorruptible? So Batman chooses to reserve suspicion for everything."
Tim stretched his arms, leaned back in his chair, and stuffed a piece of pizza into his mouth.
" regardless, Two-Face, who has been missing for a long time, has returned to implement his criminal plans. What we need to do now is catch him. Nothing else needs to be considered right now."
"Is there anything I can help with?" Alfred asked.
"Of course. Please make me a cup of coffee. Thanks."
On the other side, Burnley District, the mall robbed by Two-Face last night.
Gordon brought a group of subordinates to the scene, locked down the entire mall, and launched an investigation into the attacked shops.
"Jim, how long has it been since Harvey last showed his face?"
A somewhat bloated middle-aged detective came up to Gordon and asked familiarly.
This detective was Harvey Bullock. Sharing a first name with Two-Face, he was Gordon's partner when Gordon first joined the GCPD. The two were old friends who had collaborated for over twenty years.
"Two years. Two whole years. The third Robin appeared right around that time," Gordon recalled.
"Yeah. If I recall correctly, the first opponent that kid faced was Two-Face. Hard to imagine a teenager fighting such a terrifying enemy and winning." Bullock nodded.
"Harvey had been defeated by Batman and Robin, but during his transport to the court, the prisoner transport vehicle was attacked by unknown persons who rescued him. Since then, there has been no news of Harvey. Until yesterday, when he returned."
Gordon turned to look at Bullock. "Bullock, how is the investigation inside going?"
The latter shook his head grimly. "Likely the same as before—won't find many useful clues. Two-Face is different from ordinary criminals; he's proficient in all police investigation procedures and consciously removes traces he leaves behind."
Gordon had to admit Bullock was right. That was precisely the most difficult point about Two-Face.
Sure enough, when the search ended, they came up empty-handed.
No, strictly speaking, there was one gain.
One officer found the bullet that had pierced the jewelry store clerk's skull. Through ballistic analysis, they might find some leads. Although, in all probability, this clue wouldn't help catch Two-Face.
"We just went through the Riddler incident not long ago. In such a short time, Two-Face comes out to join the fun. I have a bad premonition, as if something big is about to happen in Gotham."
Gordon took out his pipe and lit it, the internal pressure making him uncontrollably want a few puffs.
"Jim, you still kept that precious pipe of yours? Aren't you afraid your daughter will confiscate it again?" Seeing Gordon smoke, Bullock also took out a pack, lit one, and teased.
"I hide it in the office every day. All the cigarettes at home were thrown away by Barbara." Gordon sighed.
"Your lung condition wasn't very good at last year's physical, was it?"
"It's okay. The doctor said, at least no risk of lesions for a few years."
"But the premise is you start quitting, right?"
Gordon was silent for a moment.
"You have the mind to tell me this, why haven't you quit yourself? I'm sure your physical condition isn't any better than mine."
"Can't quit. The reason I've lived till now without going crazy is all thanks to this stuff holding me up. If you really made me quit, I'd be in Arkham the next day."
Living in Gotham wasn't easy. Being a police officer in Gotham meant walking on the edge of a breakdown every day. The resignation and recruitment rates of the GCPD were abnormally high. It was rare to find an officer with more than three years of service—not because of death in the line of duty, but because most couldn't handle the pressure and quit.
The high recruitment rate was because Wayne Enterprises donated large sums to the GCPD annually, making the benefits and pay for Gotham police several times higher than the state average. Under heavy rewards, there were always daredevils.
For old cops like Gordon and Bullock who had stuck it out for over twenty years, if they didn't use tobacco to relieve stress, they might not have gone truly insane by now, but they would certainly be far more haggard mentally.
"We probably won't find any more clues at the crime scene. Starting today, I plan to increase the number of patrol officers in Gotham, focusing on any location or vehicle related to the number '2'."
Taking one last drag, Gordon's gaze was firm. "We absolutely cannot let Harvey make mistake after mistake."
Meanwhile, on a community street in Gotham.
Darren was taking an aimless stroll.
"It's been a while since the Riddler incident. It's time to think about how to choose the next target. Last time was accepting a war invite from the Riddler; this time, I have to pick it myself."
"What should I steal? A big diamond? Pearls? Or some famous painting?"
Thinking as he walked, Darren arrived in front of a newsstand. He was immediately attracted by Two-Face on the front page of today's newspaper.
"Hm? Two-Face, missing for two years, reappears and robs a mall in the Burnley District..."
He picked up the paper and read carefully.
"I've got it. I thought of a good idea. The next target... I choose you!"
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